Controversial Land Act in Manipur extended

IMPHAL, July 5 ? The controversial Manipur Land Records and Land Revenue Act 1960 (MLR & LR Act) has been extended to 58 villages of four hill districts in Manipur. This was disclosed by the State Revenue Minister Elangbam Biramani while replying to a question raised by Federal Party of Manipur Legislator N Bihari in the question and answer session of the month long monsoon session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly Thursday. The Revenue Minister Biramani said, ?the Act has been implemented in some areas of the hill districts since 1992-93.? As a result, the areas could be brought or used by other dwellers, both in hill and plain areas, in some extent. The MLR & LR Act 1960 has been extended in 58 villages of four hill districts which includes 39 villages in Churachandpur, 13 in Senapati, 5 in Chandel and one Tamenglong district, Biramani said. He further admitted that the hill areas wherein the MLR & LR Act 1960 has been extended could be settled by the people settling in the valley areas. Earlier, the vally dwellers are not allowed to settle in hill areas. Supplementing the question of MLA Bihari, another legislator from the same party Irengbam Hemochandra, who is representing the Singjamei Assembly constituency in Imphal West drew the attention of the Speaker of the House T N Haokip to admit a half-an-hour discussion on the issue in the course of the monsoon session as the issue is quite sensitive. The legislator of Tamenglong and former minister Samuel Zendai, who sits in the opposition bench also participated the question & answer session in this regard. Replying to another question by Chandel MLA B D Behring, the Revenue Minister Biramani informed that there are a total 9 SDC posts lying vacant in the state. The total member of SDCs working in different district headquarters at present is 118 which includes 53 regular, 12 incharge & officiating and 48 others on adhoc basis.